The Quiet Skies Project is a result of the Research
Experience for Teacher (RET) program during the summer of
2004. Teachers were involved in discovering the relationship
between radio frequency interference (RFI) and radio
astronomy observations. S. Rapp participated in astronomy
observations with the Green Bank Telescope in order to
characterize RFI issues at radio observatories and worked
closely with the Green Bank Interference Protection Group.
This work included such tasks as mitigation of
locally-generated RFI from power poles and running radiation
propagation studies for transmitters within the National
Radio Quiet Zone.

A curriculum was created to allow high school students to
participate in a research effort to determine RFI levels in
their communities. The aim of the project is to promote
student awareness of radio astronomy and radio frequency
interference through an inquiry-based science curriculum. It
is hoped that the project will go national by 2007.

A prototype RFI detector was created and tested at four
wavelengths; 850, 900, 1425, and 1675 MHz. High school
students used a beta version of the RFI detector to explore
the occurrence of RFI at their schools and in their
communities. The student goals of the Quiet Skies Project
are to:

\begin{itemize}

\item Measure interference levels at their schools and in
their communities;

\item Reduce and transmit their data to an NRAO data base;

\item Use online spectrum allocation data, and local
information to determine possible causes of interference in
their area;

\item Analyze the complex trade-offs between radio
astronomy's need for quiet skies, and other commercial, and
non-commercial uses of the spectrum and share their insights
with others.

\end{itemize}

This work was funded by the NSF-RET program and a grant from
the NASA-IDEAS program

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